


Hope

by amaryllis (Lilly0)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Friendship/Love, Getting Back Together, Hope, Hopeful Ending, Idiots in Love, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Returning Home, Steve Feels, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Stony Bingo, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 15:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14897441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly0/pseuds/amaryllis
Summary: (INFINITY WAR SPOILERS!)Steve thought he would never see Tony again, until he sees him climbing out of that spaceship. He decides to let go of all pretences and excuses - he has missed Tony too much.





	Hope

**Author's Note:**

> 1) I cannot write a fic in which Tony doesn't have a sarcastic comment ^^  
> 2) This is set post IW, and obviously contains spoilers.  
> 3) Bingo prompt used: The end

Steve didn’t dare to hope, he knew that the chances weren’t high, statistically spoken they were low, lower than low. Yet he clung to his hope, torn between wishing to see him again so badly and scared to death that he might have died too. The chances for surviving were so low.

 

But then the door to the ship opens and out stumbles a… woman with blue skin and Tony.

 

Tony.

 

Tony fucking Stark.

 

He is still here, he lives.

 

Steve knows he should feel sad, shouldn’t feel happiness, not when so many of them died, not when friends died, people he loved so dearly, but seeing Tony stumble towards them, hurt and tired and sad, but so alive, makes his heart burst, like someone let go of all the strings that are holding him together. And he is just so close to bursting into tears.

 

Before anyone can say or do anything, before Tony can say anything, he has already hurried to his side and hugged him. Tight. Never let go again.

 

“For Christ’s sake,” Tony says roughly, but his voice betrays him by shaking. “Get that-“ he pokes Steve’s back. “-off me! Hello? Anyone help? I am wounded, I need a doctor, not a captain!”

 

Steve squeezes him tighter. Next to him he can hear Natasha chuckle softly. “Sorry,” she says immediately afterwards, sounding shocked all of a sudden, like she realized she was about to laugh in a situation where they lost everything.

 

The blue woman who arrived with Tony clears her throat. “Wow,” she says. “This is all very interesting, and so dramatic, but can we now go back to discussing what to do next?”

 

Steve loosens his grip on Tony, he swears, only the fact that literally everyone is standing around them holds him back from kissing him senselessly. Well, on a second thought, up to now he believed he had lost Tony to Thanos, to the universe, to whatever else there is out there… Who the heck cares now who is watching? He grabs Tony’s face, ignoring the look of surprise in his eyes and just kisses him. Kisses him like he has never kissed him before. Like the last two year of them not talking to each other didn’t happen. Like their battle against each other didn’t happen.

 

Before today he never thought he might lose Tony. Never thought he could lose him. It’s like he rose from the death.

 

Thor coughs. “You just take your time, lovebirds, we’ll be waiting inside!”

 

“But we need to discuss what to do next.” Bruce argues behind them.

 

“Jeez, don’t get your panties twisted, Bruce,” Thor retorts. “Let’s go and have something to eat. We can’t fight another war without food in our systems.” That’s Thor for them, practical, strong-willed.

 

“Wait a moment,” Rocket argues. “You think this isn’t over?”

 

“Definitely not.”

 

“He is right,” the blue woman says. “The Doctor traded the stupid stone for his stupid life because he is still important.” Steve assumes she is pointing at Tony. He growls inwardly at that person calling Tony’s life… stupid, like it is useless and not worth anything.

 

“Fine, Blue, tell us everything inside,” Thor commands.

 

“Nebula,” she huffs. “My name is Nebula.”

 

“Sure, whatever you want.”

 

It’s silent around them finally, a sign that they are alone. Steve feels Tony’s fingers driving through his hair. “It’s longer,” he mumbles when Steve lets go of his lips and allows both of them to breath.

 

“Good or bad?”

 

Tony nuzzles his nose into his hair, so Steve assumes he approves.

 

Steve lets his fingers trace Tony’s face, trying to recall all the little lines and features, everything that turns Tony into Tony, trying to imprint them in his mind to never forget them again. He can’t wait to feel Tony’s body beneath him again, and touch his skin, feel him again.

 

He wants to fill the gaps they left.

 

It’s not important anymore what happened between them. The before. The why. Why did you…? How could you…? Choices, decisions, outcomes, fights, arguments, none of these count anything anymore. Not when they have lost so much, not when they could have easily lost each other.

 

Steve frowns, a thought crossing his mind. “Are you really wounded, babe?”

 

Tony stares at him in disbelief. “Did you just call me babe? Okay, woah-“ he raises his arms. “Whoever you are, what did you do to Steve?”

 

Steve suddenly finds his antics so adorable, he just has to kiss him again.

 

“Okay, Captain Creep,” Tony sighs. “I got it. You missed me and my perfectly shaped butt, but can we save that for later?”

 

It’s then that Steve realizes that although Tony looks horrified and sad and tired, there is hope in his eyes. What did this woman… Nebula… say? The…Doctor traded a stone against Tony’s life, and it means something?

 

“Something happened up there, right?” Steve asks, careful hope in his voice.

 

“Yes,” Tony answers quietly. “I don’t know yet what it means, but I know… this isn’t over. I won’t let Peter and the others just die like that. Not when there is a chance to get them back. I promised myself to protect the kid.” He looks sad all of a sudden. Steve lets the back of his hand brush over Tony’s cheek softly.

 

“Don’t do this to yourself,” he says softly. “Don’t. Remember, you said it yourself, Thor said it, Nebula – whoever she is – said it. It’s not over yet. If there is even the tiniest chance to make things right again, we’ll do it.”

 

Steve’s heart jumps, both at the prospect of still facing a chance and at having Tony here next to him. Tony, who is holding his hand, and doesn’t seem to want to let go of it again.

 

He is soon going to come down from the high he is feeling, he knows that, yet he wants to cling to it a little longer. Regain some emotional strength from having Tony back before planning their next moves, before setting their hearts and minds on this tiny piece of hope they still have, always in danger of having it crushed, and not being able to bear the truth.

 

But for a few more minutes he wants to allow himself this tiny moment of comfort.

 

They will fight in a team this time, next to each other. They are the strongest when they are together.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I just wanted to write mushy Steve. I thought it would simply be adorable if he just saw Tony and squished him, and gave a f*ck on who is watching. *lol* 
> 
> As always, comments and feedback are appreciated <3


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